חֶדֶל
𐤇𐤃𐤋
chedel
H2309 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state of cessation, inactivity, or lack, often referring to the absence of activity, strength, or life. In context, it most commonly refers to the condition of being deprived of vitality or action, such as the state associated metaphorically or literally with death, but also more broadly to any cessation or lack, including want or abatement.
Semantic Range
cessation, abatement, lack, inactivity, the state of being deprived (of breath, activity, life), especially in poetic reference to death or the dead; want; the cessation of striving or turmoil
Root / Etymology
From the root חָדַל (ḥ-d-l), which means 'to cease, stop, desist, refrain.' חֶדֶל is a noun form denoting the state resulting from ceasing or stopping, i.e., a state of lack, cessation, or inactivity. The lexical meaning is derived directly from the verbal root's concept of cessation, but applies to the result or condition (*cf.* 'absence', 'cessation', 'lacking').
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֶדֶל appears only a few times in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Job 3:17) and is best understood as a rare noun indicating a state of cessation, especially in reference to death or the afterlife (i.e., the place or manner in which activity and striving have ceased). In later Hebrew literature, the term is rare, supplanted by other words for death or the realm of the dead. It is sometimes translated as 'rest' or 'the world of the dead' in English Bibles, but these are interpretive; the core sense is that of 'cessation' or 'lack.' In Job 3:17, it specifically conveys the idea that in death, the wicked cease their tumult and the weary are at rest—not necessarily referencing a particular place or metaphysical realm, but rather the absence of earthly striving. This word is not synonymous with שְׁאוֹל (Sheol), the more common term for the underworld. The translation tradition (KJV 'world,' etc.) is interpretive and may not fully capture the nuance of 'cessation' or 'abating.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָדַל; rest, i.e. the state of the dead; world.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חדל (ḥ-d-l) — to cease, stop, desist, refrain
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2309-01 |
חָֽדֶל | chadel | HNcmsa |
of the world | cessation | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2309-01 |
Isaiah 38:11 | חָֽדֶל | chadel | HNcmsa |
of the world | cessation |